With Election Day tomorrow and the holidays coming up we're taking a break from our series on Prophecy. We will resume the series in January.

ELECTING LEADERS

What is our responsibility in electing political leaders?

In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate -- look to his character. . . . It is alleged by men of loose principles or defective views of the subject that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political stations. But the Scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men "who rule in the fear of God, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness"… [I]t is to the neglect of this rule of conduct in our citizens that we must ascribe the multiplied frauds, breaches of trust, peculations and embezzlements of public property which astonish even ourselves; which tarnish the character of our country; which disgrace a republican government. — Noah Webster, Letters to a Young Gentleman Commencing His Education, Letter 1 pp. 18-19 (1823)

As Election Day in the United States draws near (November 4) it is important every Christian understand their responsibility when electing their political leaders. The quote at left is from Noah Webster, one of America’s founding fathers, a political commentator and prolific author. He is, therefore, a man who held a better grasp on America’s founding and initial intentions than most any other figure in America’s history. What he has to say about our political processes and responsibility as citizens remains relevant to this day, so long as we as a people are still interested in pursuing the founding fathers grand design for the nation.

Webster quotes Exodus 18.21 as justification for his beliefs regarding the selection of his nation’s leadership, and for good reason. Many of our laws and legal traditions are based on Old Testament passages about the founding of the nation Israel. This very passage, in fact, became the foundation for America’s court system; a Supreme Court served by many smaller courts across the nation. As such Webster was not forcing a Biblical concept into a process randomly, but intentionally and with the highest respect for the countries new traditions.

His first statement flies in the face of the 1992 Presidential election campaign of Bill Clinton, whose slogan for a time was “Character doesn’t matter.” The statement was made as a way to overcome the scandals that were uncovered during Clinton’s campaign for the presidency. Illicit extra-marital affairs, suspected involvement in insider trading schemes and possibly even murder to cover up the transgressions. Webster’s warning rang true throughout the 1990’s.

Noah contrasts the likes of such men — and all who desire a secular government — with the Bible’s teachings from Exodus 18. Secularists argue that Israel, and many modern Christians, desired a Theocracy (a country ruled by God) but this isn’t true either in the Bible’s teaching or by example. Instead, the passage teaches that a great leader doesn’t try to lead by himself nor does God want one person to do it all. A leader should humbly accept advice from godly counsel and delegate authority to those who fear God. This mirrors the founding father’s intentions of separating powers in a democratic republic.

In a country as diverse as ours and with as many leaders as we are responsible to elect, we will not always have the option to elect a Christian to office. In such cases we are obligated to elect the person who is most likely to retain the soundness of law and who has the most integrity in their personal lives. We should also plug such gaps by selecting people of godly character to run for that office the next time around. This is as true for the presidency as it is for the county school board. Christians can hardly complain about the turn of our nation from Biblical values toward godless philosophies if they are unwilling to do more than cast their vote. It takes sacrifice to serve God’s kingdom while in service to the political machinations of man, but it is a sacrifice that is rewarded greatly.

This election day vote with certainty, pray for our elected officials, and begin seeking God’s wisdom and possible call to run for office.